Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.
The word echoed in Ahsoka's head, ringing in her montrals.
Guilty.
It was over, and there was no hope left for her. She clung to one last shroud that grew closer and closer to flickering out with every step.
"Move it, Tano," gruffed out an all-too-familiar voice as a firm hand shoved her shoulders roughly. Ahsoka stumbled, tripping over her feet. With her hands bound behind her back, her balance was thrown askew, and the Force-suppressing restraints only succeeded in making it worse.
Rough hands grabbed her shoulders and dragged her gracelessly to stability.
Guilty.
Back to walking steadily on her feet, Ahsoka drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes, attempting to center herself in the little of the Force she could reach through her bonds. It was stranger feeling now– unlike she'd ever felt it before– and maybe it was just Ahsoka, but she thought there was little distinction between light and dark.
At her Jedi trial, Master Yoda had said the Dark Side was clouding many events, but she'd felt like it'd blent with the light. It felt even less separate through her bonds during her trial with the Senate, and with the memory of this event, her heart clenched painfully.
Guilty.
Oh, how Anakin and Padmé had tried to prove her innocence, and oh how she was eternally grateful for that, but in the end it'd amounted to nothing: Only two senators had voted for her to walk free, to live, and Ahsoka wished she could know who they were so she could thank them before she was executed.
Guilty.
It was almost funny how a life could be stolen so suddenly. Ahsoka fought back a hysterical laugh as she opened her eyes and looked around at the clones marching her to the room where she'd certainly die.
Guilty.
Oh her brothers, who she loved so dearly, and who looked positively stone-faced as they carried out their orders. Who could blame them? They couldn't disobey orders, not even for her. And if they could, why should they? They weren't her battalion, they were Fox's, adorned in red armor and all.
Guilty,
Ahsoka smothered another laugh. She should be honored, everyone thinking a mere 17-year-old such as herself could be a mastermind in the situation. If only she was this intelligent truly, and then she could've smarted her way out of this whole mess.
But she wasn't smart enough, she was guilty, and now she was going to be dead.
Seventeen, falsely accused, and ready to die.
Guilty.
The clone directly behind her none-too-gently thrust her into the execution room and the whole squad filed in, shutting the heavy door and securing it. Fox himself chained her to the wall, arms up. She felt through the little Force she could that something was off with him, and humored herself in wondering if he was fighting an internal battle of whether to kill a friend or not carry out orders.
"Does the accused wish to be blindfolded?" Fox said, his voice slow and almost hesitant but full and leaving no room for nonsense.
Ahsoka shook her head. She wouldn't die hiding from her inevitable fate behind a filthy rag. Death wasn't what she feared. She was one with the Force and it sang to her, ready to welcome her to be with all the friends and family she'd ever lost.
She was afraid of what was going to become of the world, of the Order, and of everyone she loved who she was about to leave behind. She wished she could reach Anakin one last time through their bond but she couldn't.
Her brothers lined up, blasters ready whenever Fox gave the word.
"Any last words, Tano?" Fox asked, spitting her name like venom. Once upon a time he'd said it with a resounding respect, such respect earned by more than a title.
Ahsoka thought for a moment, thought about how she could condense all the words she wanted to say. She wanted to send a message to Anakin, Obi-Wan, Padmé, Plo, all her boys, Barriss, and countless others who'd been so supportive of her, but she knew the request of the accused would never be carried out.
So she thought of what could be printed on her file and jerk the hearts of everyone who saw it. Maybe it was selfish but who cared, if she was dead? Go out with a bang, her Master would say.
"I hope," Ahsoka said slowly, blinking fiercely at her stinging eyes and swallowing at the lump in her throat, "that one day, my brothers will be free and my people, the Jedi, will be even free-er."
Let them make of that what they will.
Heavy silence weighed the air for a long moment.
"Ready weapons," said Fox, getting his bearings.
Ahsoka's heart throbbed painfully as reality came crashing over her stubborn mind. She didn't want to die. But she held steady and refused to break, trembling and blinking back tears.
"Aim."
She never thought she'd go out this way. She'd always wanted a nice death, surrounded by those she loved.
Blasters clicked all around her and she stared into the barrels with determination.
"Fi–"
"Wait!" A voice cried out. The clones lowered their blasters, startled, as the door flew open. Ahsoka, equally as confused, whipped her head around to see none other than the Chancellor himself standing in the doorway.
"Please," the Chancellor said, his voice schooled to relative calmness and a pleading note, "I am to have a few minutes with Miss Tano."
"But sir–"
"That's an order, Fox. Please exit the room. I'll only be a minute or so, don't worry," the Chancellor said, and immediately Fox obliged. He ordered his men out and followed them cautiously. "Oh, but Fox, I'd like the key for her chains."
Fox hardly hesitated, which was startling, and he produced the key to press it into the Chancellor 's palm.
"Careful, sir, she's dangerous," said Fox.
"Of course, thank you," the Chancellor said, and shooed Fox away.
When Fox had disappeared, the Chancellor wordlessly unlocked her chains and Ahsok brought her hands down to rub her wrists. She said nothing and tried to read him.
After a long moment, the Chancellor sighed. "I never wanted this to happen to you, my dear."
Ahsoka frowned. Hadn't he accused her of being a part of a Separatist plot to rip the Jedi and the republic apart?
"I never wanted to say those things about you," the Chancellor said as if he could read her thoughts. "I was asked to say those things by your Jedi Council. They seem to want you gone very much. It's terribly unfair, isn't it?"
Ahsoka nodded without thinking, slowly rubbing at her aching wrists.
"You're so strong, my dear, you really are, after all you've been through in the past few days. If I'd been through that, I can't imagine what I would've done." He shook his head sadly. "I never wanted this to happen, and I wish it could've been avoided. You must feel so horrible, with what your Jedi friends have done to you, but of course you aren't attached, are you? Attachments are forbidden."
She was dazed, mind trapped in his words and spitting thoughts. Her head hurt, her heart hurt, her wrists hurt, she hurt in general….
The Chancellor opened his arms invitingly and Ahsoka instinctively fell forward at the last gesture of kindness she may ever receive, crashing into him for one last hug.
His robed arms wrapped around her and they were warm. Warm against her chilly skin, warm against the cold room, and warm against the coldness of the Jedi and the Senate. Anakin himself couldn't have been warmer.
And the next thing she knew, the tears could no longer be held in her eyes, and they were leaking down her face. She sniffed and tried to stop them but she was powerless as growing sobs began wracking her chest. She didn't want to die, she was so young, she'd done nothing wrong!
The Chancellor slowly lowered both of them to the floor. Ahsoka sat on her knees beside her calves and leaned on the Chancellor 's chest as he wrapped his warm, welcome arms around her, and it was as though the last shard of hope flickered back to life momentarily. This felt good, it felt right, like a father hugging his child.
"There is something I can do for you," the Chancellor said, voice low. "I can free you now and make you someone new, and you won't be hurt by those corrupt Jedi again."
Her shard of hope brightened and she sniffed, looking up at him with watery blue eyes like crystals in the ocean. "Y-you can?"
"I can. Would you like to see?"
Ahsoka nodded, leaning her head up against his chest again. The Chancellor reached out one of his hands to her ankles, where the Force-supressing bonds had been clipped firmly over her boots. One clicked off with a flex of his fingers, fizzling out. Then did the other.
The Force flowed back to Ahsoka, coursing through her veins, and she felt again for the first time in too long. The whirling presence of the Dark Side whipped about her head and she knew what the Chancellor had meant before.
But instead of recoiling from the dark side like she normally would, Ahsoka basked in it for a moment. It was unlike she'd felt it before: now it was warm and welcoming, just as much as the Chancellor's arms had been. It was open, waiting, ready for her.
And Ahsoka wondered what was so bad about it after all.
The light side had done nothing for her. Everyone who was "good" and "light" had turned their backs on her. They hadn't trusted her, they'd betrayed her, ignored her, and sentenced her to death with hardly any thought. She was nothing but intimidated by them now… intimidated and angry.
They'd never let her feel but now that's the only thing she wanted.
She wanted to feel.
She wanted to be free.
She wanted the Dark Side.
It was the thing that saved her, along with the Chancellor.
"I understand, Master," Ahsoka said, pulling away from the Chancellor to look at him. He smiled kindly and wiped her tears away.
"There, there," he whispered. "You're alive, you'll be okay."
The Chancellor rose to his feet and Ahsoka shifted her weight to bow before him, kneeling at his feet.
"I pledge myself to you, Master," Ahsoka said, voice still quiet and shaky but more determined than ever.
"Good," drawled her Master, and Ahsoka felt more power of the Dark Side flowing through her. "The Force is strong with you. You will make a powerful Sith. Rise, Darth Ultor, my apprentice."
Darth Ultor rose and followed her master from the room where she was destined to die.